I have just received a new NOOK Wi-fi today. 1st I went to B&N web site and registered an account with a Canadian address and a Canadian credit card. I had already charged the NOOK. I then turned it on and it had software version 1.4.0, I think (forgot to write it down). I then went to register the NOOK and it completed the registration without any problem. I DID NOT HAVE AN AMERICAN ADDRESS for anything when I registered on their web site. The NOOK then proceeded to download the latest version 1.5.0 and completed the download, install and reboot totally without a problem. As far as I can tell everything works as it should including access to B&N store. I bought the NOOK from an American web site that has a sister Canadian web site and it was mailed to me via Canada Post from BC without ant further charges. My total cost for the NOOK was $179.99 USD and a leather case for it was $25.00 USD and the shipping was $24.58. Total of $229.57 USD. Total cost Canadian was $237.80. For those worrying about it working here in Canada, it does. If you go to B&N web site to the NOOK support page and look at the manual, you will see that it now lists Canada as a country where it can be used. The manual also shows it as version 1.5.0. Hope this helps some of you. Good luck.
Art
PS Need more info, contact me!